Advances in semiconductor processing and logic design have permitted an increase in the amount of logic that may be present on integrated circuit devices. As a result, computer system configurations have evolved from a single or multiple integrated circuits in a system to multiple hardware threads, multiple cores, multiple devices, and/or complete systems on individual integrated circuits. Additionally, as the density of integrated circuits has grown, the power requirements for computing systems (from embedded systems to servers) have also escalated. Furthermore, software inefficiencies, and its requirements of hardware, have also caused an increase in computing device energy consumption. In fact, some studies indicate that computing devices consume a sizeable percentage of the entire electricity supply for a country, such as the United States of America. As a result, there is a vital need for energy efficiency and conservation associated with integrated circuits. These needs will increase as servers, desktop computers, notebooks, Ultrabooks™, tablets, mobile phones, processors, embedded systems, etc. become even more prevalent (from inclusion in the typical computer, automobiles, and televisions to biotechnology).
Thus modern processors integrate a variety of different compute components into a single semiconductor die and can be incorporated into ever shrinking form factor computing devices. In these small form factor computing devices, processors are expected to provide the same level of performance and snappiness as traditional larger form factor computing devices. Due to form factor limitations, the size and capability of power delivery components like voltage regulators, inductors and other passive power delivery components are challenged. To ensure improved performance, a processor may desirably exit out of an idle state to an active high performance state as quickly as possible. Exiting out of an idle state oftentimes includes many different tasks, including increasing voltage to one or more components connected to the processor. However, increasing voltage at a fast rate places additional burden on power delivery components or requires increased component capability, which can adversely affect performance, cost and/or size.